TPS reveals plans for Project Schoolhouse changes

Tulsa Public Schools announced changes as part of its annual Project Schoolhouse review. The changes, pending board approval, will take effect for the 2012-13 school year.

School board officials say these changed address growing enrollment and building capacity at some schools. The recommendations will be delivered at the Board of Education meeting on Monday February 6th at 6:30 p.m. The board will vote on the changes on February 21st.

Here are the recommended changes:

Mayo Demonstration Academy: Relocate to the former Wilson Middle School building for 2012-13, allowing for expansion of the program. Given the growth in the eastern quadrant of the district, the Mayo building will likely be retained and reused at a later date.

Sequoyah Elementary: Move students to the former Cleveland Middle School in order to relieve overcrowding; and close Sequoyah at the end of the 2011-12 school year.

Greeley Elementary: Close at the end of 2011-12, with building leased to Lighthouse Academy charter school beginning in 2012-13. Current Greeley students have the option to transfer to Gilcrease or another elementary school, or apply to Lighthouse Academy.

Roosevelt: With the sale of Fulton Learning Academy to Town & Country, relocate professional development and curriculum to Roosevelt. Psychometrists, testing facilities, Indian Education and Teach For America, currently housed at Burbank, will also relocate to Roosevelt.

Open Burbank in 2012-13 as part of Bell Elementary, in order to relieve overcrowding at Bell.

Early College High/TCC Northeast Campus: Close at the end of the 2011-12 school year, with students to be accommodated at Will Rogers College High program.

Barnard: Lease to Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences (TSAS) for 2012-13.
Fulton Learning Academy: Negotiations are underway for sale to Town & Country. The district expects to vacate by July 1, 2012.

ECDC Reed: Open in 2012-13 to serve pre-K students from Kerr and Lewis & Clark. TPS and Community Action Project will partner in the utilization of the site.

ECDC Bunch: Serve pre-K and kindergarten in 2012-13.

ECDC Porter: Serve pre-K and kindergarten from Park Elementary beginning in 2012-13.

District officials also said the proposed sale of Thoreau Demonstration Academy will only be considered if there is a bid in line with the appraised value of the property.

"During the approval of Project Schoolhouse last year, we said this process is one that needed to become institutionalized, and that is exactly what we have done," said Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard.

"Given the movement of students within our district - and the addition of about 1,400 new students this year - we have a few buildings that are absolutely filled to capacity. Fortunately, we have the flexibility to utilize unsold properties to relieve overcrowding and, in cases like Mayo Demonstration Academy, the ability to expand our programming by moving it to the former Wilson. We are not only maximizing our resources, but we continue moving forward in our quest to ensure students get the best educational experience possible, and that they become college and career-ready."

Also up for vote on February 6th is a recommendation to relocate Eisenhower to Nimitz for the 2013-14 school year. This move would add two kindergarten classes at Eisenhower and one at Zarrow to expand the immersion program.